Grossfeld A. CHANGES DURING 110 YEARS OF THE WORLD ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS … Vol. 6 Issue 2: 5 - 27 CHANGES DURING THE 110 YEARS OF THE WORLD ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS CHAMPIONSHIPS Abie Grossfeld Southern Connecticut State University, New Haven, CT, USA Original article Abstract This article presents changes, along with historical perspectives, in the World Gymnastics Championships during the last 110 years - 1903 to 2013. Changes include: the events contested, team and individual achievements and dominance, debut of skills, difficulty expansion, judges, scoring, competition format, Finals qualification system, expansion of FIG affiliation, frequency cycle of the WC, number of teams and gymnasts per competition, age requirement of gymnasts, team size, venues, apparatus, devices for learning, education and certification courses, disseminating information, and expanded media coverage. Keywords: History, Gymnasts, Rules, Judges. INTRODUCTION CHANGE IN THE CHAMPIONSHIPS NAME 2013 marked the 110th anniversary of the World Artistic Gymnastics From 1903 to 1913, the official title Championships. of the ‘world - international’ competition This article cites many changes and was organized by the European Federation differences in the WC that took place of Gymnastics (founded in 1881), which through the years. Timelines are presented was latter renamed to the FIG (1921). The for various aspects of gymnastics. title was changed in 1931 (or 1934 onward) to the World Gymnastics Championships Abbreviations and terms for this paper: (by same document it is not known when it WC for World Artistic Gymnastics really starts (FIG, 1981). For this paper, the Championships; OG for Olympic Games; championships from 1903 onward will be FIG for International Gymnastics referred to as the WC. However, it was not Federation; CP for Code of Points; events until 1930 that the FIG Congress determined are apparatus; skills are elements; tumbling that those would be the first with an official is acro; titles are championships, AA for all- WC title. Note: Up until 1950, the WC around; FX for floor exercise; PH for format often differed from the OG format pommel horse; R for rings; PB for parallel because the WC were governed by the FIG, bars; HB for horizontal bar; UB for uneven and the OG (including gymnastics) were bars; BB for balance beam; T&F for track governed by the International Olympic and field. Committee (IOC). Science of Gymnastics Journal 5 Science of Gymnastics Journal Grossfeld A. CHANGES DURING 110 YEARS OF THE WORLD ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS … Vol. 6 Issue 2: 5 - 27 COUNTRIES AND DATES OF THEIR 30-40/5; 1926 36-48/6; 1930 36-48/6; 1934 FIG AFFILIATION men 78-104/13; 1938 men 48-64/8; 1950 men 60/6, women 53/7; 1954 men 132/16, Original FIG members in 1881 were women 126/15; 1958 men 128/15, women two Belgium federations (fiamic and 88/13; women; 1962 men 132/20, women valoric), France, and Netherlands. Dates of 116/17; 1966 men 143/20, women 156/22; other that became members of the FIG by 1970 men 154/22, women 137/21; 1974 the first Championship in 1903 were Great men 126/18, women 148/22; 1978 men Britain in 1896, Czechoslovakia in 1897, 147/22, women 145/22; 1979 men 151/23, Canada in 1899 (the first non-European and women 164/26; 1981 men 171/27, women Western Hemisphere nation), Italy, Spain 135/19; 1983 men 175/26, women 176/28; Luxemburg and Hungary and Luxemburg in 1985 men 147/21, women 158/23; 1987 1902. Dates of FIG membership of some men 176/27, women 201/31; 1989 men other countries: Romania, Slovenia and 190/29, women 187/28; 1991 men 213/30, Croatia in 1907; Egypt in 1910 (the first women 190/29; 1992 (no team) men 141, African nation); USA in 1921; Switzerland women 104; 1993 (no team) 57 countries in 1923; South Africa and Iran in 1947; and at least 50 gymnasts taking part in the Argentina, Columbia and Cuba in 1948; AA; 1994 (individual) men 85, women; USSR in 1949; Japan, Germany and Brazil 1994 (team) men 141/21, women 112/16; in 1951; India in 1952; Australia in 1954; 1995 men 209/24, women 197/26; 1996 (no Syria in 1956; Morocco in 1960; Mongolia team) men approx. 25 in each event, women and New Zealand in 1962; and China approx. 50 in each event; 1997 men 236, rejoined in 1978 (China competed at the women 149; 1999 men 293, women 260; 1958 and 1962 WC but then withdrew, 2001 men 268, women 172; 2002 men largely because of the Taiwan recognition). averaged 57 in each event, women averaged Total number of FIG affiliated 43 in each event; 2003 men 323/52, women nations through the years were: four 224/35; 2005 men 177, women 95; 2006 countries in 1881; eight countries by 1903; men 279/43, women 223/33; 2007 men 12 countries in 1921; 20 countries in 1938; 253/24, women 214/24; 2009 men 243, 28 countries in 1950; 37 countries in 1954; women 146; 2010 men 343/45, women 69 countries in 1978; and 127 countries by 272/34 (representing 46 countries; 2011 2013. men 262/24, women 216/24 (478 competitors representing 81 countries); 2013 men 264 (71 countries), women 134 (57 countries) - the men had over 135 and the women over 100 competitors in every single event. For the first nine WC, 1903 to 1930, there were no more than 48 gymnasts. The first WC where there were well over 100 competitors was in 1954. The men topped 200 competitors in 1997 and the women in 1999. Figure 1. Main square in Antwerp. Summary of the number of teams THE YEAR AND NUMBER OF (countries) that took part in the WC GYMNASTS/TEAMS WHO TOOK The first two WC, 1903 and 1905, had four PART IN EACH WC teams; 1922 had five teams; 1911 and 1938 had eight teams; 1934 had 13 teams; except 1903 36/4; 1905 24/4; 1907 36/6; for those WC just mentioned the other six 1909 36/6; 1911 48/8; 1913 36-48/6; 1922 WC between 1907 and 1950 had six teams. Science of Gymnastics Journal 6 Science of Gymnastics Journal Grossfeld A. CHANGES DURING 110 YEARS OF THE WORLD ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS … Vol. 6 Issue 2: 5 - 27 For the 1954 and 1958 WC there were 15 Host countries and cities of the WC and 16 teams respectively. The number of 1. France – Bordeaux, Lyon, teams escalated after 1958, reaching a total Strasbourg, Paris - 4 of 52 men’s teams and 35 women’s teams in 2. Germany – Dortmund, Stuttgart, 2003. Dortmund, Stuttgart - 4 Only European nations took part in 3. Belgium – Antwerp, Ghent, all WC up until 1950 when Egypt Antwerp - 3 participated with a full team of eight 4. Czech – Prague, Prague, Prague - 3 gymnasts (which were the first gymnasts 5. Hungary – Budapest, Budapest, from the African continent). The USSR and Debrecen - 3 Japan made its WC debut in 1954 (with 6. USA – Fort Worth, Indianapolis, their men’s teams placing first and second Anaheim - 3 respectively). Iran made its WC debut with 7. Italy – Turin, Rome - 2 one male gymnast in 1954. And, the USA 8. Luxembourg – Luxembourg, also first took part in the 1954 WC with two Luxembourg - 2 male gymnasts (which were the first 9. Yugoslavia (Slovenia) – Ljubljana, gymnasts from the Americas). USA first Ljubljana - 2 entered with a full men’s team in 1958, 10. Switzerland – Basel, Lausanne - 2 which was the year that China, with a full 11. USSR (Russia) – Moscow, men’s team, made its debut. Moscow - 2 The first WC where women took 12. Netherlands – Rotterdam, part was in 1934 where medals were Rotterdam - 2 awarded for only team. In 1938 the 13. Great Britain – Birmingham, women’s program consisted of team, AA, London - 2 V, BB, FX and PB. In 1934 and 1938, three 14. Australia – Brisbane, Melbourne - 2 teams took part in each of these WC. In 15. Japan – Sabae, Tokyo - 2 1950, seven women’s teams took part, all 16. China – Tianjin, *(in Nanning from Europe, and the uneven bars replaced 2014) - 1 *(2) the parallel bars as one of their events. In 17. Bulgaria – Varna 1954, the USSR women’s team made their 18. Canada – Montreal debut (and placed first). One female 19. Denmark – Aarhus, Canadian gymnast, its first, took part in 20. Puerto Rico – San Juan 1958. The USA women made their WC debut with a team in 1962. THE HOSTS, FREQUENCY CYCLE AND YEARS OF THE WC In the 110 years of the WC, 1903 to 2013, 20 countries and 33 different cities have been hosts. France and Germany were hosts four times. Belgium, Czech, Hungary and USA were hosts three times. Nine other countries were hosts twice. The first WC outside of Europe and in the Western Hemisphere was in 1979, in Fort Worth, Figure 2. WC 1922 Ljubljana, Peter Šumi Texas. The first WC in Australia (Brisbane) (AA champion 1922 and 1926) on parallel was in 1994, and in Asia (Sabae, Japan) in bars. 1995. Science of Gymnastics Journal 7 Science of Gymnastics Journal Grossfeld A. CHANGES DURING 110 YEARS OF THE WORLD ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS … Vol. 6 Issue 2: 5 - 27 The WC were held every two years THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF from 1903 to 1913. (The WC were not held GYMNASTS PER TEAM from 1916 to 1919, due to World War I). The WC resumed in 1922 and until 1938 For the WC through the years was as were held every four years. (Once more, the follows: WC were not held in 1942 or 1946 due to 1903 - Nine per team.